Friends With Benefits
by LilMissWinchester
Summary: Eric's never even heard of anyone quite like her, and she could turn the whole damn south on its head. This is a silly fic, it was supposed to be just quick and fun but it's turned into a monster that I hope appeals as something different. Eric/Oc T
1. Checking In

A/N: It would appear that I've finally managed to write True Blood Fic! This is going to be very closely modelled on HBO…that is to say, sex. That is all.  
I hope you enjoy, this was my take on something I've yet to really read in the TB fandom, but I think it's going to be a bit of everything really. I hope that's what other people get out of it, because I'm enjoying myself immensely at the moment.  
I do so love reviews (not that I'm begging…but I do really like them…)

...

The first thing Eric noticed about her was that she gave off a vibe. He couldn't tell anything more, and that both intrigued and annoyed him.

She quickly had admirers swarming her in the bar, offering their drinks and their bodies. Eric took the time to look her over. A black tank dress hugged her figure, stopping just above mid thigh and showing a teasing amount of cleavage.

Chocolate coloured hair fell carelessly in waves to the middle of her back, framing a finely boned face with high cheekbones and highlighting her long elegant neck.

She looked utterly delectable, and he smirked.

Eric continued to recline on his throne; he hadn't worked the floor of Fangtasia in a while, but did so with his usual detached nature, with new thoughts to occupy his mind. He wondered how she'd look tied to his bed.

With interest he watched as the statuesque brunette walked straight up to Pam, his progeny eyeing the woman with hunger and lust. She didn't seem averse to it either, leaning in to Pam and smiling coyly.

Pam zipped over to Eric, and he motioned for her to talk. "You have a visitor...I'm surprised you've never mentioned her to me."

Eric's eyes narrowed. "I don't know her...did she ask for me personally?"

"She knew you as the Sheriff of this area...but she is not vampire."

"She can come into my office. I'm very much intrigued as to how she knows this. And why she is here."

Pam nodded curtly, withholding a remark about what other things he was intrigued about that he nonetheless picked up on, as Eric unfolded his long body from the throne and zipped to his office.

...

Pam pushed open the door of Eric's office at Fangtasia. "Your visitor."

He nodded in acknowledgement to Pam and bid her leave to watch over their business.

Eric was met with the same coy, and somewhat cheeky smile the woman had given Pam earlier. He got the impression it was the normal look on her delicate face.

"You knew me as the sheriff of this area." He stated, watching her carefully and assessing her risk factor. It was difficult for him to concentrate; she smelled like fruits and light and freedom. Intriguing him even further.

"I hear it's the polite thing to do, check in." She quipped, dropping in to the chair opposite the desk and crossing her long legs.

"You are not vampire."

She snorted. "No. You're very observant." She said it in such a light way, teasing, that he didn't rile at it.

"Why are you here?" he continued with the regular questions, noting that he couldn't glamour her.

"Stop poking around in my head, I'm more than happy to tell you I'm here visiting."

He was surprised she'd felt him. She definitely wasn't all human, then. She didn't seem to mean him or his harm at any rate, so he relaxed into his chair, turning up his charm with a sly smile and deciding to have some fun.

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced. Eric Northman, sheriff of area five." He held out his hand over the desk, and when she took it, he was certain there was a spark of electricity up his arm.

"Skarlett Antoinette du Renoir. Just Skarlett is fine." She still had that little smile on her face and he found it oddly alluring. Never mind the mystery around her.

"Where are you from, Skarlett?"

She shrugged, a dainty movement of her shoulders, long dark hair taking a moment to resettle. "All over the place." She didn't sound like she was being intentionally vague, and he was saved the trouble of pressing further when she continued. "I've been in Europe recently, spending time in France and Italy. Before that I was in New York, and before that Scandinavia." She looked up, meeting his eyes with hers, which were a sparkling green. "So legitimately all over the place."

"You're here travelling then?" Official questions were boring him, and he was becoming even more acutely aware of how much he desired her.

More specifically, how much he desired to bend her over the desk and have his way with her.

"For a while. I'll probably pick up some work here and there."

She looked up at him through her long eyelashes and it was then that he knew for sure that she knew what she was doing.

Eric licked his lips, playing her game and meeting her eyes. There weren't many bold enough to flirt with him. "If you have any troubles with that I may be able to help you."

"Really?" Her voice had taken on a breathy quality.

"You've been so open about your plans and checking in, it's the least I could do. Which leads me to my last question, Skarlett."

She bit her full bottom lip innocently and he struggled to remain in his chair. She had a stainless steel barbell through her tongue that he saw poke playfully from her mouth, just a flash of alluring metal. "Yes, Eric?"

"What are you?"

She smiled her coy little smile and stood, bending over the desk so their faces were inches apart.

Eric did so love a woman who knew what she wanted, and wasn't afraid to take it.

"I guess you'll have to find out."

For a split second he thought she was going to pull away, and sped to drag her mouth those final few inches to crash into his.

For the first time in centuries he felt he could be satisfied by a kiss alone, though he knew there would be more here. If she smelled like fruits and sunlight and freedom she tasted even better. His fangs flew down almost immediately and she moaned.

As fast as he could (which was pretty fast) Eric flitted to the other side of the desk and lifted her on to it, groping harshly at her ass as he did so. She groaned with a wide smile on her face.

Eric wasted no time in slipping her dress over her head and pulling her panties to one side, barely giving her time to adjust before he impaled her on his cock. The scream that exited her mouth at this action was reward enough.

He fucked her rough and dirty on his desk, ultimately manoeuvring them so that she was bent over the top of it as he fucked her from behind, a hand heavy on her neck and the other teasing her clit. For the first time in a long time, Eric lost track of how long they'd been fucking, how many times she came, and everything that wasn't the exquisite tightness surrounding him.

He scraped his fully extended fangs on the side of her neck, strangely finding himself wanting permission. Skarlett bent her head further to the side and threw him a sultry look over her shoulder, as if she was daring him. As soon as he sank his teeth in to her, he got his answers.

Eventually he collapsed, spent, on top of her, and he couldn't help but laugh at the entire situation. He supposed he was slightly giddy from her blood, but it was a good feeling, like when he drank too much ale as a human. "What kind of faerie goes looking for vampires to fuck? You're crazy."

She slipped out from under him and turned to sit on the desk, facing him as she caught her breath. The coy smile was even more firmly stuck on her lips. "I'm only half fae."

"You wouldn't know from the taste." He eyed her suggestively; loving that she hadn't made any sort of move for her discarded dress and looked quite happy perched nearly naked on his desk.

"I have many talents…I could make you forget that happened, if I wanted." Her eyes flashed mischievously.

He didn't for a second fear she would do it, or use it against him or his. She was so open that even then he wouldn't have hesitated to say he liked her. "That, would be a travesty."

"It would indeed." She grinned a little wider. "Though we could just keep reminding you every time I made you forget."

"I'd rather remember it all."

"Who am I to take that away from you?" Skarlett teased, brushing a foot against his leg on purpose.

"I'll have to find out the extent of your…abilities." He watched her with the eyes of a predator.

"Indeed you will. I look forward to it." She slid gracefully off the desk, though the teasing hint in her manner didn't go away. He wondered half-heartedly if it ever did; she was so…bright, and fun, that he could feel want for her building up already. Not just physical want, but a need for company like her.

Eric was disappointed to watch her slip her tight dress back on over the matching red bra and panty set, and even more so as she walked towards the door. She stopped to lean on the frame and threw him a wink.

"I'm going to dance…I'd very much like for you to join me in a moment or two."

A flick of her long dark hair and she walked back into the bar area. It didn't feel like the end to Eric though, only the beginning.

He left his office with a smirk on his face, strangely excited.


	2. A Friendship and an Arrangement

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who's reviewed/favourited/etc so far, I appreciate it so so much :) I was trying to make myeslf wait to post this because I'm still writing it and figuring out where it all fits, but I'm getting antsy so I'll just post it anyway hahaha. Let me know what you think, as ever, because I love hearing it and it makes me write faster! I've also just noticed that doesn't like my formatting, so I'm going to go and edit that in the first chapter.

...

Skarlett didn't even leave it four days before she went back to Fangtasia, for one of their themed nights. Leather and lace parties were a particular favourite of hers. She'd chosen a lacy black and white dress in her favourite tank cut, and had knee high leather boots on. Her hair was a mass of curls, tumbling to the middle of her back.

Pam's eyes lilt up as Skarlett approached her, bypassing the line. "Well…if you're going to be around more often you can dress like that all the time."

"But of course." She winked. "Is Eric in tonight?"

"He's hiding out until a bit later, but he's here. I'd love to keep you company in the meantime." Pam purred. She looked back at the growing line of people for the club. "However I have to police the…vermin."

Skarlett giggled. "That's a shame. We'll catch up later." She promised. Pam waved her into the club amidst complaints from other girls in line and catcalls by men. She rolled her eyes and walked inside.

It was a mess of people and alcohol and sex.

Skarlett shut her eyes and smiled. This kind of chaos was amazing. Barely controlled or reigned in at all. She went to the bar and ordered a drink, downing it quickly. It felt like two seconds before the guy next to her offered to buy her another one. He wasn't thinking anything overly untoward so she accepted it and downed it just as quickly.

Feeling nicely buzzed, Skarlett turned and leaned her back on the bar, eyeing the dance floor. They'd had a few more of the sturdy metal poles installed for the theme night, and she eyed one contemplatively. It could be fun.

...

Eric looked up at the door; it was early evening, just after sundown, and the club wasn't open yet. Pam looked positively gleeful and he wondered what kind of trouble was coming his way. "You have a…visitor."

Pam stepped aside and he saw Skarlett, wearing a tiny red skirt and a patterned tank top with some black ankle boots. He felt himself growing hard instantly as he remembered back to the week before and her shamelessly taking advantage of the additions to the décor. All the drunken human girls stumbling around had nothing on her, swinging and sliding and _grinding_.

"Skarlett…" He observed her over his folded fingers. "How nice to see you."

She folded herself into the same chair across from him that she'd sat in last time, crossing her long legs and giving him an enticing glimpse of inner thigh. "And you, as always Eric." She flashed him her usual mischievous smile. "How's things?"

"Fine, thank you…" His eyes flicked to the door. "Pam, leave."

With a huff the other vampire left, shutting the door behind her.

Skarlett giggled. "I like her."

"Me too, sometimes." He rolled his eyes and settled them back on her. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"There is actually…you know how you offered me a job? I wouldn't mind it. I just found this apartment not far away and it'd be convenient."

"We _do _need a new dancer." He said, eyes glinting in the dim light of the room as he thought about having her right in front of him most nights, dancing no less.

"Consider it done." She grinned and stood to leave.

Five minutes later Eric had her in his lap on the couch, riding his cock.

...

Skarlett strutted into Fangtasia just after dark, glancing down admiringly at the sky-high heels she'd chosen to wear. Eric was contemplating the bar, and didn't turn as she walked down the employees hallway and into the bar area.

She narrowed her eyes and immediately sent out a tiny blast of light, watching as it curled from her fingers and hit him square on the behind. Eric yelped and she collapsed into giggles, leaning on the wall for support.

"That hurt!" She was too overwhelmed with laughter to reply, and Eric scowled at her. "Don't do that again."

Finally she managed to take a breath and speak, though she looked on the brink of laughter the whole time. "I'm sorry, I couldn't resist."

"What the hell was that?" He looked mildly outraged, and she got the feeling that if she had've been anyone else she wouldn't have a head anymore.

"Fae magic…it's supposed to be our defence, its like raw natural power or something like that. I don't know."

His scowl lightened a little but he still gave her a warning look. "Regardless. No more."

She gave him a mock salute, bending to stow her bag in the crate behind the bar for employees. Eric was treated to an utterly enthralling view of her round ass in tiny black shorts at the top of long, long legs.

In less than a second, he'd flitted over to her and pulled her upright with a large hand wrapped around her neck. In the shoes she was wearing they were only a few inches apart in height, so he put his mouth right next to her ear. He couldn't help but nip at the lobe, feeling her shudder beneath his hands. "That was a pretty bad thing to do." He said hotly, right into her ear.

Eric kept the hand around her neck, the tiniest of pressure. She seemed to enjoy it at any rate, he felt her push her ass back onto the outline of his hard cock in his jeans. The other hand splayed on her rib cage, a few fingers slipping just under the cropped top she wore. "Wasn't it?" He asked, more forcefully.

"Yes." She said softly, breathing getting heavier as his cool fingers moved on her warm skin.

...

Eric barged into her apartment as soon as she shouted that the door was unlocked.

"What up...whoa, Eric, what's going on?" Skarlett half sat up from where she was lounging on the sofa with a book. He looked terrible.

"You shouldn't keep the door unlocked." He muttered, pacing in great strides around her monochrome kitchen, leather jacket rustling with his agitation.

She snorted out a laugh. "Cause I can't take care of myself? I'll be fine."

He didn't answer, no quip back or anything, so Skarlett sat up properly. "Eric what is it?"

"I have to go to Dallas." He said quietly, his usually icy cool voice ragged.

"Okay...And it's making you react like this why?" She asked calmly. He turned his back on her and leaned on the counter. Skarlett cocked her head to the side and started to stand up. "Eric...come on, what is it? I've never seen you like this."

"It's Godric." He said, whisper quiet.

"Your maker?" She guessed.

He nodded, and Skarlett walked over to her friend. They'd grown to care about each other deeply since they'd met. She pulled herself up on to the other counter, behind him. She kicked him gently, more of a nudge than anything. "Oi, talk to me fuckhead."

"I'm not in the mood Skar." He grumbled.

"No but you're in _a_ mood. You wouldn't be here if you didn't want to do something about it. Whether that's talk or fuck then whatever, but-"

He rounded very suddenly and she raised her eyebrows. "Will you come?"

"I...what?"

"I could use your help. Your abilities."

"What, the ability to dance around a pole and carry a tune?" She said innocently, still trying to pull him out of his head.

"I can't joke about this Skar."

His face was as serious as she'd ever seen it. Skarlett extended one of her long legs and nudged his hip. Eric moved, though seemingly unwillingly, and she stretched her other leg out to wrap them around his hips and drag him close.

"I know." She whispered in his ear, snaking her pierced tongue out to trace the lobe. "Just relax a bit first, okay?"

She heard the unmistakable click of his fangs and allowed him to ravage her mouth. She knew what he needed from her right now.

In minutes she'd pushed off all his clothes and he'd slipped her skirt over her hips and pulled her tank top down, and he was fucking her on the countertop, their heights making it easy.

She could feel him holding back and groaned, partly in frustration and partly in pleasure. Skarlett dug her heel into his back, and bit the skin under his ear hard, nearly hard enough to draw blood. "Fuck me, Eric. Hard."

He growled and redoubled his efforts, thrusting into her hard, and she finally felt like she had his full attention.

Skarlett wrapped one arm tighter around Eric's neck, tossing her head back as she shut her eyes, whimpering every time he hit her cervix.

"Fuck. You're so tight Skar." Eric buried his face in her neck, nipping without breaking the skin.

"For fucks sakes Eric just do it."

He slowed momentarily in his thrusts, processing what she'd said. "Skar..."

She yanked on his hair, pulling his head back to look him in the eye. "Bite. Me."

He didn't need any more encouragement, sinking his fangs into her neck with a growl. "You..." Eric slipped a hand under her ass and lifted her easily of the counter, still inside her. He slammed them against the wall, pulling greedily at her blood. "Are entirely too bossy for your own good, Miss Renoir."

She came after a particularly vicious thrust and a bite to her chest. "Fuck!" She clung to him, but she knew he was nowhere near done. That was why they worked so well like this.

Eric manhandled her onto her massive bed, leaning over her like a predator, her blood staining his white teeth.

He lifted her legs onto his shoulders, nipping playfully at her ankle before impaling her on his cock again.


	3. Dallas

**A/N: Helloooooo! Sorry it's been such a long wait, I've just got a new laptop and switching everything over is a bitch! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed/faved/alerted, makes me feel good. If you haven't reviewed but are enjoying/not enjoying, let me know! I won't lie to you, I'm a whore for feedback ahaha**

**Enjoy!**

Skarlett lay face down where they'd collapsed, burying her face in her pillow as she tried to catch her breath. Eric was a cool weight still half on top of her.

"Get off." She groaned, swatting a hand at him.

He did, but gave a parting nip to her back. She rolled her head to the opposite side to watch him reclining on her sea of black pillows. He looked to be more at ease than when he'd arrived, which had been her goal.

"You're insane." He said quietly.

"That's part of the allure isn't it?" Skarlett played with her tongue bead, sliding it idly over her lips.

"Shut up." He chuckled, rolling on to his side to look at her. "Who else knows about you Skar?"

"What do you mean?" She sucked the bead back into her mouth with a pop.

"About your…family."

She giggled even though he looked serious. "Not many people really. Not properly anyway. Why?"

He raised his eyebrows, scratching distractedly at his stomach. "Cause you're something vampires kill other vampires to have? And from what you've said you're not short of vampire notches in your impressive bedpost."

"Not as impressive as yours." She joked with a wag of her groomed eyebrows, and then Skarlett shrugged. "I can make vampires forget, when I want to. Manipulate their thoughts into thinking I'm not all that." She stifled more giggles. "That's why they kicked me out. Of fae, I mean; 'consorting with vampires and the two natured, not to mention humans'."

Eric shook his head. He'd never met anyone quite so remarkable, and he'd met a lot of people in his time. "You'll get to meet Sookie, Compton's bringing her to help."

Skarlett rolled her eyes. "Ugh, gross, telepath. Why do you need me if you've got her?" She asked, pretending to be offended.

They didn't keep tabs on one another if not asked, and their relationship outside of friendship was casual. It worked well.

"Because I much prefer your company. She is...annoying."

"The queen wants her though." She snickered. "So did you."

Eric stared at her, ignoring the second part of her sentence. "You're not supposed to know that."

Skarlett shrugged. "I do though. Ears everywhere. That bitch is crazy." She said decisively.

"Sophie Anne is..."

"Crazy." She stated again. "We partied a bit. A while ago."

Eric simply blinked. "She knows about you?"

Skarlett simply stared at him. "Jesus Christ do you think I have a death wish? Of course _she_ doesn't know about me. I just...make strategic alliances, that's all."

Eric laughed, a full belly laugh she didn't hear very often. "So you'll come to Dallas?"

"Man I dunno, my boss at this club I work at is a bit of a douche, I don't know if he'll let me. He makes me _pole dance_." She pretended to be scandalized and he continued to laugh. She grinned at him. "When do we leave then?"

"Tomorrow night." Eric glanced at her clock. "I should get back to Fangtasia, I need to sort some stuff out before we leave."

"Thanks for all the notice dickhead." Skarlett rolled her eyes and turned on to her back, watching him grin as he got up to retrieve his clothes from the kitchen. "And you owe me a new dress." She scowled, looking at the pieces of the clothes she'd been wearing, scattered on the floor.

Eric filled up her doorway, grinning at her. "I'll buy you one in Dallas." His face softened considerably before he turned to leave. "Thanks Skar."

She smiled at him. "Anytime lover. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll pick you up at 7.30."

…..

Eric shut the door to the hotel room quietly before turning around to raise an eyebrow at the woman on the bed. Barely an hour in Dallas and she'd picked a fight with their travelling companions already. His raised eyebrow was all it took and she raised a single finger to silence anything he might've said.

"Before you even start, the shit she was thinking about me was horrible, never mind the shit she actually said, and what the actual fuck, Eric? She's fucking insufferable!"

"Skar…"

"She can't hear me but I can hear her. Vulgar? I'm fucking vulgar? Get _fucked_!"

Withholding laughter wasn't something Eric was overly familiar with, but he found himself having to master it quickly as Skarlett ranted. "Lover…"

"I will not be treated like second rate shit! She's the fucking low level telepath who can't even control her gift, and…"

Eric flitted over to her and held his hand over her mouth. She looked even more outraged than when she'd been ranting about Sookie. She put her hand over his and zapped him, a tiny spark of light, causing him to wrench his hand away from her mouth and glare hotly at her. "Ouch! For fucks sakes Skar I told you not to do that!"

"It was tiny." She said dismissively, folding her arms over her legs and glaring at the TV.

"It still fucking hurts! Why are you so grumpy?" He felt like he shouldn't have asked even as she opened her mouth to reply.

Instead she just lay down and turned on her side, facing her back to him. Eric blinked, bordering on stunned. As close to it as he'd been for years, anyway. Tentatively he sat on the bed behind her. "Skarlett?

"What?" She said petulantly.

"What's wrong?" He asked patiently. He generally wasn't a patient vampire (he hadn't even been a patient man), but he'd make an exception for Skar. He always would he supposed.

She sighed an almighty sigh. "I'm just tired. And I don't like it when people don't like me."

"Not to be defending her or anything, but you went into it not liking her…"

"No, I had contempt for her inferior abilities and lack of control. I didn't set out to actively dislike anyone. I never do. It's easier when people like me."

Eric considered the woman in front of him, eyes soft. "They don't matter Skar. He's a pathetic excuse for a vampire and she's a telepathic waitress with no control."

"I know that, I'm not an idiot." She snapped. "Doesn't mean I like it."

Eric put a cool hand on her shoulder. The fact that she didn't shrug it off he took as a good sign. "Skar…" He heard her sniff and shifted a little in his place. "Are you…are you crying?"

He'd never seen her cry before, never even heard her mention it. He was convinced now that there was way more to her behaviour than being unhappy with their travelling companions. It made him slightly uncomfortable. She'd gotten along with Jessica at any rate, joking around with the baby vampire and finally seeming to lighten her up. He guessed Skarlett had that effect on everyone.

"No?"

Eric lay down and scooted up behind Skarlett on the bed, hooking his head over her shoulder with slight worry painted on his face. "What's wrong?"

Skarlett didn't think she could tell him that she'd already canvassed the city (had as soon as they'd arrived) and found Godric, and that she knew he'd given himself up. It would break him, and she knew she couldn't ever be responsible for breaking Eric. She was capable of a lot of things, but that wasn't one of them, she knew for certain.

Instead she quickly turned over and buried her head in his chest, inhaling the ever-strong scent of the ocean and hiding her face. He idly stroked her long brown hair. "Sorry." She mumbled, voice muffled.

"What else are best friends for?" He teased gently.

Her throat closed up when he said that. She felt like the worst person in the world, never mind the worst friend.

….

Skarlett woke up to a knock at the door the next morning with Eric's arms still around her.

"Jesus Christ." She muttered. She was pretty sure their arrangement forbade cuddling overnight. And if it didn't it probably should.

She cast her mind out and withheld a groan when she realized it was Sookie.

She'd bite her tongue and be civil, mostly because she thought Sookie didn't know anything about her heritage. She certainly wasn't going to be the one to tell her. As far as she was concerned the Stackhouses were just another human family that another stupid faerie had gone and messed with.

Skarlett glanced down and saw Eric had undressed her after she'd fallen asleep (and not woken her up for sex, which was slightly alarming). She looked around, scanning the room for something to save the woman from having to see her body. The first thing she saw was Eric's shirt, and with an inward groan at the cliché Skarlett picked it up and slipped it on.

Sookie smiled when the door was opened. "Hey there...sorry, did I wake you?"

"Yeah, but I should've been up anyway. What's up?"

"Well I just thought that we could maybe get breakfast and go out and explore, I've never really been out of Bon Temps and I feel kind of bad about yesterday..."

Skarlett nodded. "Yeah okay, give me 5 minutes to get dressed."

"I'll meet you down at the breakfast bar." Sookie positively beamed before she walked away and Skarlett tried to stay open minded. The girl was a stupidly clear broadcaster for someone aware of her ability. Skarlett decided she was allowed to tell her off about that, as it was dangerous. She'd met vampires able to read minds before and if Sookie came across one of them she was as good as dead.

Rooting through her suitcase, Skarlett pulled out a cobalt tank dress and put it on. She smoothed her hair and let it hang loose over her shoulders.

She left the room with a glance at Eric, dead for the day.

He was certainly her favourite vampire, though what that meant she had no clue.

…..

"So where are you from?" Sookie asked, digging in to her breakfast.

Skarlett shrugged and sipped at her milkshake. "Around. I've always travelled a lot, so I never really had a proper home."

She felt Sookie's mind prodding at her own and have the other woman a pointed look. "I'm telling the truth 9 times out of 10, you don't have to poke through my head."

At least the other woman looked embarrassed. "You can feel that?"

"Yeah, can't you?" Skarlett poked intentionally clumsily into Sookie's head.

The blonde considered hard for a second. "Well...I can feel something, but..."

Skarlett shook her head. "Look, you need to train it, you've barely got any walls from other people, and-"

"Bill's been training me a bit, to keep walls up from other people."

Skarlett snorted dismissively. "He wouldn't know the first thing about it. If you ran into a vampire that could read minds you'd be fucked."

Sookie looked at her wide-eyed. "Some can do that?"

"Well yeah. It changes with age and like, personality, what they can do."

"Bill's never mentioned it..."

Skarlett rolled her eyes again and made herself bite her tongue; Bills manipulative nature was not something she was about to point out and get involved in. That was for Sookie to find out in her own time. So she just shrugged. "Eric can fly."

"What?" Sookie squeaked.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool." Skarlett said dismissively.

Sookie sat there with her mouth open a few moments before she remembered her polite southern upbringing. "So...so when did you guys meet?"

"A few months ago."

Sookie shook her head. "I don't know how you do it, he'd drive me mad."

"Do what?" Skarlett had an idea of what the other woman was hinting at, but waited for her to say it.

"Date Eric Northman."

Skarlett laughed. "We're not dating, Sookie. I don't…date."

The other woman looked so supremely confused that Skarlett nearly felt sorry for her.

"But...how come you're here then? Don't you work?"

"I work at Fangtasia as a dancer...and that's not really a polite thing to be thinking is it?"

Sookie blushed. "Sorry, just..."

"Whatever. It's convenient and I like to dance. And I'm here for the company and to help out Eric."

"You enjoy his company?"

"He's my friend Sookie..." She remembered his words from the night before, and barely had to think before she continued. "My best friend."

"No way, Eric Northman doesn't have friends."

Skarlett shrugged. "We get along." She smirked. "And the sex is amazing. Shall we go? I want to check out the shops."

Sookie sat gob smacked for a few moments before following the brunettes lead and getting up.

…

It was nearly sunset when Skarlett got back to the room, and Eric had turned onto his back.

Mischievous grin on her face, she decided to give him a good wake up. He'd been nice last night when she'd gone to pieces. She'd hoped he wouldn't see that side of her at all, and she resolved not to let him again.

Clambering on to the bed, Skarlett straddled his long legs, glad that he'd had the apparent foresight to remove all of his clothing.

Eric was already semi hard when she flicked her tongue over the tip of his cock. He stirred in his deep sleep, but there was still enough sunlight left that he was groggy and it was a struggle to wake.

When he did finally open his eyes, his hand was already fisted in her hair and she grinned around his cock.

"Fuck..." He swore, tightening his grip in her hair and sliding further into her throat.

She let him control their movements, choking around the appendage in her mouth. He yanked her off his cock by the hair, and she gasped for air, lust in her eyes. Without a word, Eric dragged her up his body. He ripped off her underwear without a thought and pulled her dress over her head. His hand groped at her bra and she growled at him.

"Don't you dare rip this one, it's my favourite."

With a dark chuckle he unclipped it with one hand, throwing the offending bra to the floor with her dress, and trailing his hands around to palm her breasts roughly.

_This_ was what they were good at.


	4. The Fallout

"I do not like this plan." Bill grouched, scowling as he held Sookie's hand.

Skarlett shot Eric a look. While she had spent the day with Sookie and found her more agreeable than before, she still fucking hated Bill. Eric rolled his eyes in response, letting her know the feeling was mutual.

He could quite happily have stayed up in their room all night, cocooned away from worrying about Godric, even though he knew it would come back eventually.

Seeing Eric begin to get lost in his thoughts Skarlett turned to Bill herself. "Well too bad, because that's the plan. Short of storming the place, though we already discussed with fuckhead Stan that that is a shit idea. For morons."

"I don't think it's your decision, Skarlett." Bill said icily. Obviously her cool feelings on him were returned.

"You don't have a fucking better one! That's the rule, if you don't have a better plan you can't veto the one we've decided on." Skarlett's voice was getting louder as she grew more frustrated, though she childishly wanted to poke her tongue out at him just to see what he'd do.

"Well how do you…"

"Enough." Eric said, the tone of his voice brooking no argument. Skarlett scowled in his direction, making her feelings on their traveling companion once again clear. "Go about your business for the rest of the night and then in the morning, the ladies and Rufus will go to the fellowship church with the cover story. That is what is happening and it will not change."

Bill continued to scowl as he walked to the bar to get a drink for Sookie and a true blood for himself. Skarlett leaned over in her chair to put her mouth next to Eric's ear in the crowded restaurant. She made sure to rest her hand heavily on his upper thigh as she leaned. "I love it when you get all bossy sheriff." She purred, her tongue snaking out to catch his ear.

Eric gave a sly smile and edged a couple of fingers between her thigh and her tight skirt. "I'll have to remember that."

…..

It was an hour after dawn when they met in Sookie and Bill's room, the two vampires starting to look the kind of worn down that came with being up past dawn. Sookie looked slightly nervous but determined, in a pretty sundress that suited her part. Skarlett, as the surly younger sister in their dangerous play, was wearing a lot of black. She remembered having a few outfits like this just to scare people in faerie; they were a bright bunch, for the most part.

Eric looked her up and down, taking in the knee high buckled boots, tiny pleated skirt and black Murderdolls shirt which had been cut to her midriff. There was certainly a lot of creamy skin on display and he'd joked that he'd leave her some marks to show off. As tempting as the offer had been, and as hard as it had been to refuse when he'd had his talented tongue doing wonderful things between her thighs, Skarlett had reminded him that they needed to get into the church, not be shot on sight.

"I can't believe you actually manage to work that outfit." Sookie said a little enviously.

Skarlett rolled her eyes. Sunshine child through and through. "It's not that much of a stretch is it?" She joked.

Sookie shook her head, blonde ponytail bobbing. "Of course not. Well, we need to go and meet Rufus, and go over everything." As soon as she turned to Bill and wrapped her arms around his neck, Skarlett turned away to Eric, pretending to vomit.

To her surprise he pulled her into his arms. "It's disgusting isn't it?" He whispered with a slight laugh.

"…horrendous." She agreed after a moment. With a smirk, she looked around the room. "Wait till nightfall to come rescue us will you?" She joked.

Bill, just for something different, didn't even crack a smile.

Eric rolled his eyes and shook his head, holding her tighter for a moment. "Yes ma'am."

She giggled as he released her. "Seriously though. Promise?"

Eric nodded.

…

"And who…" Skarlett watched Mrs Newland trip over her words as she looked at her. "Is this?" She struggled to keep her bright, fake smile on her face as she took in Skarlett's outfit.

Sookie gave a simpering smile to the woman. "Oh excuse me, I forgot myself a second. This is my sister Skarlett." She leaned in conspirationally to the reverends wife. "We were orphaned see, when we were little and well, my sister needs a lot of savin'. She just won't see the light." Sookie looked close to tears, and Skarlett had to hand it to her, she was quite the actress. "I think…I think she might have even been a…a sympathiser."

Skarlett did her best to look bored, which would have been less difficult if she couldn't feel Godric so close, in her head. A two thousand year old vampire tested even her expertly built walls, apparently.

Aside from that was the guilt at not telling Eric what she knew. It had eased only slightly when she'd found out that he already knew Godric was in the Fellowship's church. Somehow she thought the part she still kept from him was worse. It was eating at her.

The more alarming thing, she found as Sarah took them on a tour of the church, was that Godric was interfering with her listening to other people. She caught the gist when Sookie shot her a few looks, but she dreaded to know what she'd missed.

"We need to leave." Sookie hissed into her ear when she got the chance, snapping Skarlett out of her revere.

Next thing she knew they were being dragged into the basement.

….

Eric snapped awake suddenly, an urgency he hadn't felt before nearly flooding him. He'd had enough of Skarlett's blood to know something was wrong, though she hadn't had his, so he couldn't pinpoint anything useful, like exactly what was wrong or where exactly she was.

His body clock though, told him he still had hours until sunset.

He cursed her in every way he knew how that she'd made him promise.

…

Skarlett didn't even have a chance to react before the Gabe, the muscle, threw her against the wall. She slumped onto the floor, head spinning. She knew he was advancing on Sookie, but Skarlett was so dazed she couldn't move. He must have thrown her head first, and on top of the unfamiliar intrusion of Godric in her head, nothing was working or happening the way it should.

It made her feel slightly sick when she felt blood on the back of her head, but even worse when he ripped Sookie's dress open. Skarlett couldn't even manage to bring light to her fingertips, let alone direct it with enough force or precision to stop anything. The sick feeling gave way to grogginess and the room went in and out of focus.

It was out of focus still when a vampire that looked no older than a teenager zipped into the cell and snapped Gabe's neck like a twig, only to come back when he'd knelt down by her head and laid his hand on her face. Her eyelids fluttered and she suddenly felt one of the causes of her dazedness lighten.

"Godric?" She asked, though it was more a statement than a question. She knew it was him because her brain was telling her so.

"I apologise for your discomfort today, faerie. I was unaware it was you that was there, or I would have been careful to control my presence." He cocked his head to the side, gentle eyes watching her. "It has been a long time since I met one of you…longer still since meeting one with the gift you have."

"I'm not…I'm not full fae."

He smiled gently. "They might as well not exist."

Their conversation had been conducted in whispers as Sookie composed herself, before she interrupted. "We need to go, they're planning on makin' you meet the sun, and…"

Godric shared a look with Skarlett that told her that he knew she had at least guessed why he was here, if not knew for sure. He shut his eyes suddenly, a smile crossing his face. "I am here my child."

Eric flitted into the basement just as Skarlett was starting to sit up, and only took as long as acknowledging his maker before spinning to check on her.

"Skar you're…you're bleeding." He weaved a hand through her chestnut hair and found the raised wound on the back of her head.

"It's nothing…Sookie's right, we need to leave."

Eric gave Skarlett a scowl worthy of bill and sliced his finger open with a fang before touching the wound again. She felt it healing instantly.

Godric gave Eric orders and the three of them made their way up the stairs, though Skarlett spared a glance over her shoulder at the old vampire.

…

Skarlett mingled with the guests at Godric's house and tried to avoid Eric. He'd know, soon enough, that she'd already known about Godric's sacrifice, and that was a conversation she wasn't keen on having.

She was having a chat with Jason, Sookie's delectable if a bit simple brother, when she felt a cool hand on her shoulder. She knew it was Eric, of course she knew, she knew his hands intimately and well.

"I need to talk to you." His voice wasn't icy, but certainly cool. Autumnal, maybe.

Skarlett said her goodbyes to Jason and followed Eric, watching the play of the muscles in his back as he walked ahead of her, finding them a corner. When he stopped, she looked down at her feet, fiddling with the cuffs of her denim shorts.

"You knew." When she didn't reply he clarified further. "You knew that Godric gave himself over to them."

"I…" Skarlett bit her full bottom lip and looked up at Eric. "I had a hunch." She said quietly, again looking down to avoid his eyes.

"How?"

"Well…when we got here, I let my shields down and I searched the city for him. Well for anything really. And then I found him and then…I don't know, maybe because you and I are so close or because of his abilities and mine I could…sense things…" He looked almost betrayed and she hastened to add more to her sentence. "I wasn't sure though, so…"

"You could've told me."

"I know…But I wanted to be sure before I…"

"You _should_ have told me."

"Eric will you listen to me? I wasn't sure, so I wanted to make sure before I said anything that might…"

"I'm not some delicate little human, Skarlett, You should fucking tell me things that are important to whatever we're doing before you just decide what's best!"

"And I'm not some backwater country hick, Eric; I'm more than capable of making decisions based on different circumstances. I'm not fucking stupid!" She spat back, glaring at him. Their entire argument had been carried out at little above a whisper, and then suddenly the room went dead quiet. She looked up at Eric properly and saw him looking somewhere over her shoulder.

Skarlett span around and looked quizzically at the man who had just walked into the room.

"I have a message…From reverend Steve Newlin himself!"

The next thing she knew, Eric had darted in front of her and then they were on the floor, his body on hers like a blanket. Skarlett's ears were ringing, normally sensitive hearing agitated by the sound of the bomb.

"What the fuck…" She tried to sit up but Eric was like a dead weight on top of her, and for a moment she feared the worst, until he groaned. Skarlett pushed at his shoulders, scrambling to make sure he was alright. She knew she was hurt, but it didn't matter in that moment. "Eric are you okay?"

His crystalline eyes opened slowly, and she looked down at him with concern on her face, earlier argument forgotten. "I'll be fine…there's some silver in my chest, but…"

She was kneeling above him, a hand in her hair and the other one near his hip. She looked nearly frantic. "Why would you do that, why would you jump in front of me, what if the silver was wooden bullets?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You're welcome?" He fished dubiously.

She scowled at him. "I'm just saying, I'm sure a wooden bullet wound could be fixed if it were me, but if it's you then you'd be…" Skarlett found she couldn't continue past the lump in her throat, suddenly.

"You could get the silver out so I heal faster?" He couldn't keep the smirk off his face as he suggested it.

"As if, if you think I'm going to suck your chest right now you have problems."

…

"Look after him. Eric."

Skarlett scratched the cut above her eyebrow and winced at the pain shooting up her wrist. She guessed she'd fallen weirdly when the bomb went off at Godric's house. It didn't feel broken, but it was definitely cracked.

"I still think you should reconsider."

The age-old vampire regarded her steadily. "I think you know what it's like to feel how I feel...just not as tired."

She inhaled quickly. There was no way he could know that, she hadn't even told Eric. So she focussed on Eric, ignoring Godric's words. "You'll wreck him, if you do this."

"He understands, in his own way."

"Doesn't mean he accepts it." She muttered.

Godric smiled, a real smile. "I can accept responsibility for that part of him, I think." His face softened further. "He cares for you."

She looked down at her feet. "He's my friend."

"Friends are not something Eric was ever good at having."

"He's a good friend to me." She defended him immediately, without even thinking.

"I know. That is what is so remarkable. So look after him, Skarlett Antoinette."

…..

She knew with certainty that she needed to get back to their room, and what kind of state Eric would be in when she got there. She'd felt her phone go off as she walked down the stairs and saw it was a text message from Pam; so obviously Eric was in quite a state. Skarlett let her know quickly that she'd deal with it and explain when they got back to Shreveport.

Gently she pushed open the door, wiping the last tear off her cheek. Eric looked a mess, red around his eyes and still falling, down to his chest where it dried.

"Godric is gone." He stated simply, though the sound of his voice made her stop still and falter before she continued towards him.

"He'll be happy now, Eric."

He simply nodded, the only sign he'd even heard her. Tentatively she put her hand on his shoulder. That was new. She'd never been tentative around Eric. He was shaking under her.

Suddenly he turned very quickly and buried his face in her stomach. She couldn't hold back the gasp of pain when he hit her bruised ribs, and he pulled back to look at her.

"You're hurt." He narrowed his eyes.

She rested a hand in his hair. Any other time she'd tease him for being the reason she was hurt, throwing himself on her like he had. But he'd saved her. "I'll be fine. Shower?" He loved showers, and she was sure that would make him feel momentarily better.

Eric nodded and stood slowly.

Under the burning, cleansing water, Skarlett washed him methodically, brushing away traces of his tears and the grime of the last few days. It was surprisingly tender, and any other time she'd blanch at the implications, but she'd promised.

And she did care for him, deeply.

He turned the tables on her though, when he hefted her in his arms and held her against the wall under the spray. It was then exactly that she realized her entire body hurt, and he knew it though she kept her face neutral.

"Why didn't you say something?" He asked quietly, his voice still rough as gravel.

"I'll be fine." She answered, before she felt his hands on her ribs. She didn't even think he exerted any pressure and she was seeing stars.

"One of those is broken Skar, that could've punctured your lung."

"Stop touching it then." She joked weakly, still dizzy from the pain.

"The bone in your wrist is cracked too."

"I figured that out."

Eric slicked her wet hair from her face. "Drink from me? To make it better?"

Alarm bells were going off in her head. "You've already had my blood Eric, lots of it, you know what an exchange does, I..."

He shushed her. "If the unlikely event should occur that you are in trouble I'll be able to sense you, too. It's only advantageous."

"We said no keeping track of each other Eric, it's just fun. I..."

He gripped her face in between his large hands, stopping her from shaking her head and making her open her eyes. "I'm not proposing anything more than that lover. You know I care about you Skar, let me help you, and keep you a bit safer."

The pain in her ribs was getting to an unbearable level, and she supposed she could find a way out of anything later, if she wanted. That was what scared her, the fact that it was only _if_ she wanted.

Skarlett nodded.

Eric tore into his wrist and held it to her mouth. Immediately the pain dulled and she couldn't help but sigh when he pulled his arm away.

This was immediately followed by a yawn.

"Tired, lover?" Eric set her down on the tiles and went to get them towels.

Fifteen minutes later she was curled up on the bed with his head on her flat stomach.

The slight hints to his feelings she'd gotten with her abilities before she'd had his blood had about doubled, and she could feel his sadness over Godric like a dull ache. As well as a profound emptiness that felt cavernous and consuming, sometimes.

Idly she stroked his hair, feeling her eyelids drooping as morning properly kicked in and the clock ticked past 7am. Eric seemed to have died for the day, as the intensity of his feelings had dulled.

When she woke just after One, Eric hadn't moved except to hold on to her around her hips, nearly tight enough to hurt.

She went back to sleep.


	5. Home

A/N: argh I'm so sorry this chapter has been so long in coming, I've had a billion assignments to hand in and exam study to do around work and other parts of life. Hope you all enjoy. Oh also…my brain has been taken over by The Avengers. New favourite thing. :3 hahaha enjoy

…

"Eric I'm not coming in tonight."

Frowning, he reclined in his desk chair, pressing his phone to his ear. "You've been miserable all day lover, I could feel it. What is it?"

Skarlett buried her face further into her pillow, barely able to hold her phone up to her ear. "I'm sick. I can barely move, let alone dance." She sniffed. It felt like her head was too heavy to move and every time she'd gotten up to try and eat or use the bathroom she'd felt like she was about to fall over.

Eric's frown darkened, immediately suspecting foul play. "I thought your fae blood kept you from getting sick."

Skarlett hurried to explain, knowing the conclusions he was likely to jump to. "It boosts my immune system, which stops me from getting most colds and stuff…just means when I do get a cold I'm pretty much up shit creek. I'll be fine in a couple of days; I just need to not move….or think…or…anything."

"This has happened before?" He questioned, still slightly suspicious.

"A few years ago. It just does, every now and then. It's the human part of me kicking up a fuss. Sorry."

Eric rolled his eyes. "Don't be, I'm sure Yvetta can manage by herself. I can get one of the bar girls to help also. Though none of them will be quite as…captivating."

Skarlett laughed tiredly, more a puff of air than anything. "If I'm outdone and not even able to defend myself…"

He chuckled. "I wouldn't worry about it lover. Nobody could be as entrancing as you."

"Oh sweet words…"

"Even when you're sick your sense of humour is something to marvel at. I'll check in on you later."

Skarlett halfway groaned. "No Eric I just need to sleep. I'll be okay." She didn't really have the energy to fight him, though, and he seemed to sense it.

"I know. I'll still come and make sure."

"Fucking vampire." She grumbled.

"See you later." He said with a laugh.

…

Eric let himself into Skarlett's apartment scowling when the doorhandle just twisted; she obviously hadn't started locking her door.

He'd tell her what he thought about that later.

Quiet and stealthy as a cat he walked through the dark apartment, stopping at Skarlett's bedroom door. Her millions of pillows (they annoyed him whenever he slept there, which had been increasingly often since Dallas. Why one person needed that many pillows he'd never understand) were spread around her, some she'd kicked on the floor. She'd also half shoved her bed covers off, and the rest were twisted around her feet.

In a flash he'd straightened her covers and fixed up her pillows.

Skarlett flicked her eyes open, groggy and disoriented. Her eyes landed on Eric in the murky darkness and she groaned. "Why are you here?" Her voice was croaky and her throat hurt and she was in no state to be dealing with him going all domestic on her.

"I told you…" He settled on the opposite side of her massive bed after he'd taken his shirt and belt off, leaving him in just his black pants. "I was going to come and check on you."

Skarlett turned over so she was face down on her pillow, knowing full well he'd still be able to hear her. "I can't deal with you being all…whatever, right now."

"It was a slow night. Shut up and go back to sleep Skar. I came to check on you, nothing else."

"That's what worries me." She muttered, though didn't complain when he chuckled and pulled her against his chest. His cool body was a welcome relief from the semi fever she'd been battling all day, and she quickly fell back to sleep, not before reminding Eric to pull the block out blinds down if he was going to stay.

…

She woke up feeling worse than she had when she'd fallen asleep, dizzy and going hot and cold like nobody's business. Skarlett barely managed to crack her eyes open to see that the time was 3 in the morning.

When she woke, Eric came out of his downtime, obviously slightly startled at discovering how rubbish she felt. "Are you okay?"

Not even trying to speak she shook her head, pressing her forehead to his bare chest in an attempt to alleviate the heatwave that had come over her. Eric pulled her hair off the back of her neck and rested a large hand there, succeeding in cooling her down some more0. "Do I need to call a doctor?"

Skarlett groaned croakily and shook her head again. She regretted it when it felt like she was on a rickety old ship in a storm at sea, swirling round, and round, and round…

"Will you take my blood then?

"How about," she whispered quietly so as not to hurt her throat more. "We see if I get any better today and if I'm still as bad when you wake up tomorrow I'll agree to take some of your blood. Deal?"

Eric sighed and looked down at her. "Silly faerie."

Skarlett didn't even have the strength to properly hit him for his comment; he caught her hand incredibly easily and swamped it in one of his, settling her comfortably to lie on him again and smiling a little when she was out like a light.

….

Skarlett hated the dreams the most.

Every time she got a bad flu like this, every couple of years or so, she would get the horrible dreams that came when she slept, which was a lot. This time around, Eric seemed to be a feature of most of them, and not in his normal, incredibly hot dream way.

In most of the flu-induced dreams he died, meeting the true death as she watched on helplessly. One of the worst though, was when he simply wasn't there. She was shivering and frightened when she woke up from that one, and it must have been enough to disturb him from his day sleep.

He cracked one eye open and looked at her. "What is it Skar?"

She shook her head, more because she couldn't speak through the lump in her throat, and squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could. She was not going to cry in front of him again. That was just too much.

Somehow, she managed to turn over so her back was facing him, and she at least had the illusion of privacy to take a few deep breaths and compose herself a little. From over her shoulder she heard him tut and roll onto his side, fitting his long body flush against her back and draping an arm around her middle.

"You're taking my blood tonight. Do not argue."

She didn't even have the energy.

…..

Eric tried to lie still as she tentatively took blood from him.

But it was really very arousing, in a way that nothing else quite was, made ten times worse because it was her and she was so...equal. She matched him, he realised suddenly, and he had to struggle to keep his face neutral. He didn't have equals, ever. And why was it so fucking hot?

However he knew she wasn't feeling well and for some reason he wanted to show her that he understood. He'd never wanted to take anyone else into consideration before, especially when it came to sex, or even the vague possibility of it.

Eric wasn't scared of much, but he was scaring the shit out of himself tonight.

When the wound closed over and he healed, Skarlett rested her head in the crook of his neck, a hand splayed on his bare chest. Bonding in some way with Eric seemed inevitable, and it scared her that she didn't really care. It afforded both of them protection that was invaluable given that either or both of them could be political targets of various races.

"Better?" He asked.

Skarlett contemplated a moment, feeling the power that came with his blood running through her veins. "Much. Thank you. I'm still kind of tired though."

"That will pass. You can sleep if you like, I don't mind."

"_I_ do." She muttered, rolling on to her back and looking up at him as best she could with her head now on his lower chest. "I've done nothing but sleep for the last 3 days. It's boring."

Eric gave her a small smile, idly resting a hand on the bit of skin by her hip where her tank top had ridden up. "We could watch a movie?" With his free hand he indicated the massive television mounted on the wall opposite the bed.

Skarlett scrunched her face up. "Ugh, it's so…couple-y, lying in bed watching a movie."

Eric rolled her eyes. "I have it on good authority that friends can also watch movies together."

She sighed and got up, walking over to her movie collection. "Well yeah but…fine. What do you want to watch?" Before she turned anything on, she waved the remote at him. "And please don't say some bullshit chick flick or crappy vampire movie."

"Why would I…" He tried his best to look innocent.

She pointed the remote at him accusingly. "I know all about you and your Buffy fixation. And the disturbing amount of chick flicks that you and Pam have watched. We're going to watch something else, because I refuse. We are not doing that."

Eric folded his arms. "You and Pam are too close. I don't like it." He joked.

Skarlett ignored his comment and found the DVD she was looking for. "They just brought out this remake of Straw Dogs; you know that Dustin Hoffman movie? Kind of psychological thriller type thing that pretends to be all intellectual. My contact at a studio got me an advance copy."

Eric made a big show of sighing. "Okay."

She started the movie and scrambled back to the warmth of her bed. She kind of liked it that after a while Eric seemed to absorb her above average body heat and so was startlingly warm for a vampire. She lay with her head on his stomach, feeling much better.

One of his hands moved to her head, toying with her chestnut hair. About halfway through the movie, when his hand was resting against her scalp, she shifted to look up at him. "Okay?" She had felt his thoughts take a melancholy turn a while ago and thought they'd simply move on like normal, but they seemed stuck there now.

His lack of response was enough of an answer. Skarlett sat up and folded her legs underneath her, looking him in the eye. "Oi."

Eric finally seemed to notice her staring at him. "Sorry."

He didn't elaborate, though she hadn't expected it; talking to him was like pulling teeth, sometimes. Skarlett sighed, shifting quickly to perch herself on his stomach, making sure he couldn't escape. "Okay, come on." He looked at her expectantly, wide eyed and trying to be innocent. She raised her eyebrows at him. "Start talking."

"About what?"

Her raised eyebrows turned very quickly into a scowl. "For gods sakes Eric, we still haven't spoken about Dallas, and that was weeks ago."

He set his lips in a thin line. "I don't want to talk about it."

She felt him moving to shift her off him and settled more firmly on his stomach, bracing her hands on his shoulders. Skarlett looked him right in his icy blue eyes. "Well too fucking bad. Get talking. You've been round here most nights since we got back, like we decided that cuddling was okay, all of a sudden."

He sighed and avoided her inquisitive green eyes, resting large hands on her hips. "I just…I feel better, when I'm with you Skar. I mean I don't mind not being with you, some of the time, it's not like that. I just don't feel so…"

She could see he was struggling and her eyes softened. "Alone?"

"Something like that." He muttered.

She contemplated him for a few seconds, eyes roaming over his face. "You know I can't imagine what it's like to lose your maker. And I know you and Godric were closer than most, so…It's fine. You can come here whenever. And I'll help you however I can, okay?"

…..

"Trouble abounds in fair Bon Temps?" Skarlett questioned with a grin after saying goodbye to Jessica. She liked the young vampire; it was a nice touch of reality in a supernatural world. When Eric didn't return her smile, her face fell a little. "Oi! What's going on?"

"They got rid of the maenad, but Bill has been kidnapped, Sookie wants me to help, and this is all tied to something a lot bigger and more dangerous than anyone thinks." Eric fell into the chair behind his desk, leaning his head on his hand and gazing broodingly at the door.

"Just another day in Bon Temps then?"

"Mmm."

"Eric?" She'd never seen him so deep in thought, or so agitated. "What's actually going on?"

"The queen."

"Ah. You totally don't need to say any more than that." Chewing on her lip, Skarlett made her way around to his side of the desk and perched on the edge of it so that their legs were touching. "Anything I can do?"

"I may need you to come with me, to Mississippi."

"We're not going to see Russell are we?" She felt queasy at the thought. The vampire king of Mississippi was a deeply unsettled man.

"You've met?" Eric asked sharply, head snapping up to meet her eyes.

Skarlett drew in a breath and exhaled slowly. "A long, long time ago. I'm not sure he'd recognise me now, I…I looked a lot different. I was still in Faerie most of the time back then. I didn't have the…control, of my abilities, that I do now."

"He knew you as fae?"

"He knew I was different, and that was enough. You know what he's like."

Eric grunted his acknowledgement, mind racing a million miles a second. Finally he sighed and contemplated Skarlett, trying to disregard how completely she'd taken over his life without even trying. Most of all trying to disregard everything she meant or could mean. "It may be unavoidable. I don't want to leave you here without me." He confessed, quite suddenly.

She riled immediately. "I'm a big girl, Eric, I can-"

"I'm well aware you can take care of yourself, I'm stressing how dangerous this situation could become. I'm not willing to leave both you and Pam here with the magister and Sophie-Anne circling. You know how dangerous they are. _If_ I do have to go to Mississippi, I would like you to come so that we can keep each other safe."

He stressed the part about keeping each other safe and she noticed he meant it.

Running a hand through her hair, she sighed. "Okay…Okay. But we definitely need a plan, or something. Russell…" she shivered in spite of herself.

Eric had never seen her act so oddly. He looked up at her from where he sat in the chair behind his desk, and placed his hands on top of her thighs. It astonished him that the tiny act had such a calming effect, their blood knew the others in a way he'd hardly thought possible. "What happened with you and Russell?"

She looked sick, all of a sudden, and turned her head away. "I don't want to talk about it."

Eric was, for want of a better word, alarmed at her reaction. This was the way other people might react if they'd had dealings with Russell, but not Skarlett, she wasn't like anyone else. "Is it going to be safe if you come? He won't know you?"

"I don't think he would. I'll make sure though." Her voice was as quiet as he'd ever heard it.

"You know when we were in Dallas, how we talked about times when you'd have to tell me what was going on?" She nodded and he tightened his hands on her legs until she looked at him. "This is one of those times."

She bit her lip. "I know I need to tell you. And I will, before we leave, but not right now. Please."

Eric nodded. He could deal with that. "You may have to act in ways you don't like."

Skarlett breathed out a laugh and smirked at him. "You mean act like your subservient human? I can manage. Just don't get used to it."

…..

Eric lay on her bed, gazing upside down as Skarlett dug through her wardrobe, trying to pack a suitcase before they left.

"How about this?" She asked, holding up a little white sundress.

Eric smirked. "Definitely."

She rolled her eyes. "Stop trying to dress me like Sookie." She joked.

"You are going for subservient human here." He rolled over onto his stomach and moved to her wardrobe, shoving her gently aside. "Get out of the way, I'll just pick things."

"For god's sakes Eric…" She glared, flopping down on the end of her bed.

He ferreted through her clothes, smirking when he came across a few items and throwing them in the bag.

"You're not parading me around his stupid mansion like a show pony." She growled, giving him a warning look.

"Of course lover. I wouldn't dream of it."

He seemed seconds away from winking, and she groaned.


	6. The State of Affairs

A/N: I know, I'm a horrible person. I feel so bad that it's been so long updating :/ I can only offer my sincerest apologies and hope you like this chapter.

Eric swore as they sped down the highway, in about every language he knew. Skarlett's knuckles were white on the door, and finally she looked over at him.

"Eric…I know you're upset and worried about Pam, but please, can you slow down? I'm scared."

She felt his foot on the brake almost immediately. "Sorry." He apologised stiffly, his back rigid and his eyes glued on the road.

"It's okay." She said softly. "He won't hurt her before the time is up, he's completely under the thumb of the authority, he'd fall apart without rules or structure."

Eric grunted his acknowledgement, fingers clinging to the steering wheel so tight she thought he'd break it. They sat in tense silence for a few more minutes before Skarlett had an idea. She unclipped her seatbelt and slid across the bench seat in the vintage car to lie down, her head in Eric's lap.

He looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.

Skarlett shrugged. "Like you said the other week, it's kind of…soothing." She fidgeted with one of her many rings, before finally sighing. "I'll tell you about…what happened, with me and Russell now."

Eric knew she was trying to distract him from what had happened with Pam, but he could hardly pretend he didn't want to know, especially if she was volunteering the information. "Okay." Now considerably calmer, Eric settled further down in the seat. "Go."

"Well you know how I was telling you time passes weirdly in Faerie? I was there for a while before I ever left, like…a long long time."

"So how old are you?" Eric tried to joke, flicking his eyes down to her for a moment.

"Probably about as old as you."

"You…what!"

"Well I told you time works weirdly there! Fae age weirdly along with it. Everything about that place and the things in it is fucking weird, okay?"

Eric shook his head, nearly chuckling with disbelief. "Okay. So Russell."

"Yeah." She sighed before launching back into her story. "It was one of my first trips out of faerie, cause it wasn't really the done thing…it's still not, really, but whatever. I didn't really have any control over anything I could do, because we didn't need it in there. But you can imagine, suddenly all these voices you don't recognise and all this…strange mental stimulation."

"Of course." He said, to urge her on. "Did you look like you do now?"

"Not really." She giggled. "I had this little blonde pixie cut and different piercings…teenage rebellion, you know."

Eric laughed quietly again. "Is that why Russell wouldn't recognise you now?"

"Probably. I don't really look a lot like I did. And I couldn't disguise my scent or manipulate thoughts, especially of vampires. That came…after."

She left the sentence hanging in the air for a minute, and he nudged her. "Go on." He urged.

"Well he…he came across me. And I don't think he quite knew what I was, but I didn't only smell like me, but all the other fae too. And you know how he likes to…'collect' things. He'd only just found Talbot then too, I think. I get confused sometimes about what happened when."

Eric watched her getting visibly more tense and dropped a hand from the steering wheel to her shoulder. She turned onto her back to continue, looking up at him.

"The place we used to come through to here was outside this little village in Italy where he was staying at the time, watching Talbot. Except I, in my infinite teenage wisdom, decided it would be okay to go off by myself."

"Silly faerie." He tutted.

"Well yeah. A bit. Anyway, he followed his nose, I guess, and found me. And he kept me, for almost two weeks I think it was, before Cl…someone, found me."

Eric ignored the name she'd almost said and contemplated her again. "What did he do to you?"

"Oh you know, his usual. Drinking and torturing and 'what are you' and stuff. Luckily he didn't try and go out in the sun otherwise I think he would've realised what I was." She fiddled more intensely with her rings. "I um…I wasn't okay, for a long time. I think…I think Godric guessed that."

"I understand what he meant now, about you. He said you'd understand, and I didn't think of what he was talking about, but now…"

"Yeah." She said softly.

They drove in silence a while longer, Eric trying to ignore the feeling of Pam in his head. An idea he'd had a few days ago occurred to him again, and he nudged Skarlett out of the light sleep she'd fallen into.

"What?" She grouched.

"I think we should form a blood bond before we go into Mississippi."

Skarlett sighed. She should have known it would be inevitable. Somewhere along the way their lives had become inextricably tangled, and they were strangely dependant on each other for creatures that hadn't needed to depend on anyone or anything for nearly a thousand years. The mere fact that Eric was even contemplating a proper, forever, blood bond was pretty much insanity.

She looked up at him, taking in the face of her best friend and lover for what must have been the ten thousandth time. For some reason she trusted him. Her gut trusted him, and it had seldom let her down.

"Okay." She agreed, oddly sure of this decision.

Somehow her few week vacation in Louisiana had turned into something much more important.

"Just follow me and don't say anything unless you absolutely have to." Eric hissed as the spotlights from around the huge mansion focussed on the old car.

Skarlett nodded apprehensively, listening to guards approaching closer and closer to take them inside. She was yanked out of the car by her arm, nearly yelping at the forcefulness of it. As they were brought around the front of the car again, Eric linked their arms and put an open smile on his face.

"This really isn't necessary, gentlemen." He said lightly, looking around.

He was met with silence.

She felt his air change as they were half dragged up onto the porch of the mansion. He relaxed and put a stupid look on his face, so she did her best to look meek and followed behind him, staring at his broad back.

"This is completely unnecessary, I told you we come in peace."

Skarlett caught sight of Talbot as he appraised Eric, a decidedly fangy grin splitting his face. "Have we met?"

"Eric Northman, sheriff of Louisiana area 5. And my human, Vienna."

She looked at the attractive vampire from under her eyelashes. "Pleased to meet you." She said quietly. She felt Eric's approval through the bond. All she had to do was treat this as a giant stage. This was a play and she had a secret agenda, that was all.

Talbot spared her a glance before looking back at Eric. "She's very pretty…does the taste…live up to it?"

"Of course." Eric replied, looping an arm around her back so that she stood at his side. His big hand splayed on the small of her back, anchoring her there and offering a little comfort. To Talbot and anyone else in the room, of course, it was a symbol of his possession.

Truthfully she found it kind of novel, and in a way hot. Maybe she'd enjoy this dominant game while they had the chance, because there was no way it was going to be like this all the time. Skarlett had to struggle not to smirk, even under the circumstances.

"I am here to see the king."

Talbot stepped forward and she had to refrain from rolling her eyes. In fact she kept them on the floor just in case. "Talbot, royal consort. Permit me to facilitate. Russell! Let them go you idiots." He said as a side note to the guards after he'd called his king.

"I have a meeting with Russell and Bill. You won't be permitted to join us, but stay here and see what you can find out. I'm not sure what you're looking for, but…"

"I'm sure I can figure it out." Skarlett said, smiling ever so sweetly at Eric.

He was still tense, but at least she got a smile out of him. "And stay away from Franklin. He's-"

"I know all about him. He's a little bit pathetic."

"Or a lot." Eric scowled. Putting on a civil face may prove to be difficult. "If you feel unsafe at any time-"

Skarlett rolled her eyes. "I know, no visible fae magic unless I absolutely have to, call you first. I got this fuckhead." She said affectionately, pushing him towards the heavy, ornate door.

As soon as he was gone, she breathed a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and collapsed onto the bed. She would never admit it to Eric (though she had the feeling he already knew) but her nerves were completely shot. She swore she'd nearly broken Eric's arm when Russell had walked down the stairs, and she wasn't one to scare easily at all. He'd beyond spooked her all those years ago and though he hadn't had any flare of recognition that she could detect when he'd given her a cursory glance, she definitely was not keen to be here.

Attempting to relax, she cast her mind around the huge mansion. There were fuzzy spots of vampires, boring minds of security guards, Tara trying desperately to formulate an escape plan (she tucked that away to deal with later, she didn't have any time now to try and calm the girl down, let alone the energy to do it without help from Eric) and blood donors who were all quite happy with the arrangement they had with Talbot.

The vampires were a bit of a worry, she could feel Eric clear as day, and could pick some things up from Bill because she knew him. She wasn't sure she wanted to try and read Russell, and Talbot was bratty. At least that was the only way she could describe him.

Heaving a huge sigh, Skarlett turned over onto her stomach and buried her face into the soft pillows. She probed at the place she knew Russell was, unable to get a clear reading because of the distance but a little glad because she didn't really want it.

Eric was shaken. She could feel it through their reaffirmed bond and it was scaring her shitless, quite frankly. Eric didn't get shaken.

She sat cross legged on the bed and waited apprehensively for him to return, though of course nothing prepared her for his face when he walked through the door.

He looked like he was about to fall to his knees on the floor and weep.

Skarlett leapt to her feet and padded barefoot across the hardwood floor to Eric, looking the short distance up to his eyes. "Are you okay? What happened? Does he know?"

Eric took a moment to process her quick fire questions, realised he was making her jumpier than she had been already and shook his head. "No…no. But he…"

She saw his eyes go hard as stone, and bit her lip. She got flashes from his head, of a time long ago, the ocean and his family and a simpler life. All at once it seemed to click in her head. "He was the one who…he murdered your family? When you were human?"

Eric could only nod. It wasn't something they had talked about a lot, but she remembered things like nobody he'd ever known, down to tiny details he'd barely noticed at the time. "He has my father's crown. Like a trophy." He spat, snapping out of his shock nearly immediately and feeling anger coursing through him.

Skarlett took hold of his hands in hers as soon as she felt his anger begin; they couldn't afford mistakes here. "What do you want to do?"

"Fucking kill him."

She gave him a look with both of her eyebrows raised.

He growled. "Not right now, obviously." He wrenched his hands from hers and began to stalk around the room, his face like thunder. "Everything about all of this is so fucked up."

She got an idea suddenly and shrugged dismissively. "Well we can fix it, just not right now. Will you calm down please?" Skarlett purposefully filled her last sentence with annoyance. It had the desired effect.

Eric rounded on her and glared. "No. No I will not calm down, this is ridiculous…"

"You were the one that wanted to come! And wanted me to come with you!" She hissed, matching his glare.

He advanced on her until they were standing toe to toe, her gaze unflinching where anyone else would be quivering and apologising. "To keep you safe!"

She snorted. "Yeah. Okay. We'll go with that."

He looked more enraged by the second. "What the fuck Skarlett? Everything that I have done so far, has been to keep you safe!"

As Eric leaned in closer to finish his point, Skarlett seized her chance. Lightning fast, she snaked a hand into Eric's short hair and no less than dragged his lips to hers.

Skarlett had learned long ago that vampire emotions were more or less interchangeable, given the right trigger, and they were all equally ferocious.

Her long held theory proved correct when Eric wrenched her into his arms and practically threw her against the thick wall, so hard she was seeing stars and he was supporting most of her weight.

His fangs cut her lip, slicing a thin red ribbon in the soft flesh. Their eyes met for a moment and he seemed to understand what she'd done, before something flashed in his eyes and he redoubled his assault.

Skarlett stayed where she'd collapsed, towards the end of the bed. Her keen hearing picked up the first chorus of birds outside and she groaned. Even Eric, who had stamina like no one and nothing else, seemed worn out by their night.

"Minx." He muttered, shifting fully onto his back. "You knew exactly what you were doing."

"You're at least 95% more likely to not run out and stake Russell straight away though now, right?"

"I don't think I could lift a stake."

"I rest my case." Skarlett attempted to move but ended up in more of a heap barely an inch from where she'd been before. She groaned a little.

Eric, despite doubting whether he could lift a stake, proved capable of cleaning them off and fixing her up. He seemed concerned when he saw the marks all over her. "I'm s…"

"Oh no. No, no, no. Do not go all soft on me now. I instigated it and I can handle it. I'll be fine when I wake up. Which is when we'll revise the plan. Now goodnight. Or good morning. Or whatever."

She pulled the covers over her head and leaned back slightly so that they were touching, just slightly.


End file.
